Is it safe to use a menstrual cup when you have an IUD?
Someone asked us:
I’d really like to get an IUD, but I’ve been using a menstrual cup for the past year or so. I hated pads and tampons, so I really don’t want to give up using the cup. I have one friend with an IUD who says she still uses her cup and everything’s just fine, and another friend who says it’s unsafe for her to use her cup now that she has an IUD. What gives? Does it just depend on the person?
Don’t use a menstrual cup if you have an IUD. Using a menstrual cup can cause your IUD to move out of place. If this happens, you can get pregnant. If you have an IUD and you’ve been using a menstrual cup, check your IUD strings and contact your nurse or doctor if your IUD strings are missing, feel longer or shorter than normal, or if you feel the IUD itself.
There are many options for managing your period while you have an IUD. Since you don’t love wearing pads and tampons, you can try period underwear instead. Period underwear (AKA period panties) are just like regular underwear, except they have extra layers of fabric that absorb your menstrual blood during your period. There are different kinds of period underwear for light, medium, or heavy flow days.
-Attia at Planned Parenthood
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